Ocarina of Time The Princess' Hero
by LightWorldMidna
Summary: "Hyrule's History is rich, young Zelda... Your ancestors with the same name as yours played a part in many chapters of the history books of Hyrule. Maybe you will, too." Within the History books of Hyrule lies many stories about the Hero of Time, but this is by far the most acurate. The tale told by Princess Zelda herself, as she watches the Hero of Time descover his destiny.
1. History

**Hi, LightWorldMidna here!**

**So, I'm taking a break from my (first? primary?) other fanfiction. I get writers block sometimes, sure, but it's mainly because I've seen people adding me as a favourite author, but they've only read one of my stories! It seems odd, that's all. So I'm writing something else for you guys to read. After starting to play Ocarina of Time, I fell in love and wanted to start writing a fanfiction for it. So the decision was easy.**

**Unlike 'The Return', this is not a sequel, simply because I haven't finished Ocarina of Time yet. Rather, this is a retelling of the events. I just think, Zelda is the perfect character in my mind to have recorded the stories for history books. It's the wisdom, I swear it is. I can just imagine Zeldas in the future reading stories about their ancestors, so maybe I'll write something like this for some other Zeldas too. Then again, maybe not.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated!**

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Ocarina of Time  
The Princess' Hero  
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History  
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He was just a child.

But then again, so was I.

How could such a huge burden fall upon his shoulders? I would not wish such a thing upon him. I don't think anyone would. But the was said to be the only one who could save Hyrule.

But that didn't mean that nothing bad would happen to it.

There had always been uneasiness in Hyrule, as there was always the threat of war hanging over us. Not the threat of an army coming to raid the Castle, no. Nothing like that. At the heart of Hyrule lay a legend, a secret, a myth, except it was entirely true. Hyrule was always the protector of the Sacred Realm where the three Goddesses had created the Triforce, a sacred item that could grant the holders deepest wishes, be them for good, or for evil.

Evil people would do anything to gain the power they lusted for. Anything. It it was the duty of the Hylians, the people of Hyrule, to protect this sacred power from any who wish to interfere with it.

That did not mean that no one ever succeeded, however...

My name is Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, and I wish to record the history made this day, of the Hero of Time.

I had been told stories about my name-sake since before I could remember. They would be bedtime stories, or just tales my parents used to fill an afternoon. And I loved them. I treasured them like they were a part of me. I often felt they were. I don't believe I would have grown up to be the way I was now if I was oblivious of the Legends of Hyrule.

Zelda was a name of destiny. All of the stories I had been told happened in the lifetime of a girl in the royal bloodline by the name of Zelda. Zelda was always helped and saved by a Hero, who, as a gesture of respect, was given the title 'Hero' and whose name was barely mentioned. I remembered asking my father one afternoon when he told me a new tale of a Zelda who wasn't written into history what the Hero's name was, but I can't recall it now. The name was something rather... Plain, yet unusual at the same time. After I was told the reason for the title of 'Hero', I thought it rude to ask what the name was again. I do remember my father once telling me that the Hero always had the same name, curiously, just as the Princess did.

My mother dies when I was young. Younger than I am now. I have very few memories of her, but I do hear her voice telling me some of the childhood stories and legends when I think hard about her, so I know I remember her. The only other thing I remember is a conversation I recall overhearing when I was only about four, shortly before she died that filled me with excitement.

I had been playing in the courtyard of the Castle for a while, but after playing alone for so long, I found myself a little bored. I decided to sit and look at one of the books from the Royal Library on the Legends. I didn't read it, as I found there were a lot of words in those books that I did not understand which meant the entire meaning eluded me. I would sit and look at the pictures of the Princesses and the Heros who had gone before me. The Princesses all looked beautiful and elegant, as well as strong, and the Heros were all handsome and looked very courageous and protective. I was looking at a picture of one of the Princesses, and had been for a few minutes. Her hair was the same blonde as mine, with almost a hint of ginger in it, and her face was a remarkably similar shape to mine. I looked up at Impa, who was stood beside me, her arms crossed, her expression stern and aware. "Will I grow up to be that beautiful?" I asked. When she looked down at me, I pointed at the picture. She gave me a small smile.

Impa was a Sheikah who had been asigned to look after me, due to the fact that the Sheikahs were the sworn protectors of the Royal Family. Impa was like a protective older sister to me. She would watch me playing with a smile most days, but she often stood there, on the look out, as if someone was there in the shadows, trying to hurt me. She was always nice to me, albeit sometimes a little too protective, but we were much closer than would first appear.

"No, Princess. You will be much more beautiful than her, I am certain." She replied.

I looked up at her. "Don't you remember? I said you can call me Zelda when we're alone."

"Sorry, but some habits are hard to break. It's not that I don't want to, Pri- Zelda," She hastily corrected herself with a small smile. "But if I were to get it wrong around your father, he would be very unhappy."

I looked back at the Princess in the book. "I feel really lonely. There's no one my own age to play with me in the Castle. And when you call me Princess, it makes it seem like it's only duty that keeps you here." I frowned.

Impa crouched down beside me and put one hand on my knee. "That's not true." She sighed, pausing for a moment. "Alright, Zelda, I'll try."

I smiled warmly at her. "Thank you!" I returned to flicking through the pages until I came across a picture of one of the Heros. Both Impa and I looked up when we heard one of the guards yelling to another.

"Someone was trying to get into the Castle!"

Impa stood straight up. "I'll be right back, Princess." Her authoritative voice returned and she left me to go and see what all the fuss was about. After all, the only way into the courtyard was either through the Castle or through the gardens, where she would be. I was still isolated from harm. I sat alone, singing to myself as I flicked through the chapters of the book, but I fell silent when I overheard my mother say my name through the window of the Throne Room behind me. I couldn't resist listening.

"Do you think our Zelda will be like the others?" She said. There was a pause before I heard my father's voice.

"It does seem to go hand in hand with the name Zelda." He sounded thoughtful.

"Then, why did we name her that?"

"The Goddesses showed no disapproval." He replied. "I would've thought they would have given us some kind of sign if they didn't want her to have the name of a great Princess. Besides, you and I both know that all of the Zeldas in history were very good rulers. It would send a good message to our people."

"But I worry!" Mother's voice was little more than a whisper. "If the Goddesses give their blessing for her to be named Zelda, we will have to entrust her care to a Hero who we don't even know!"

"The Hero has never failed before." My father said, sounding a little surprised, probably by her doubt.

"There's a first time for everything." Came her dark response.

I heard nothing more, as their conversation ended. Impa also returned, telling me there was nothing to worry about. _Oh, I'm not worried._ I thought. I looked down at the book, stroking the picture on the page absentmindedly with a smile on my face. _One day, I will be inhistory books, just like these._


	2. Unhappy Fairytales

**Geez! This took me so long to write! I'm sorry it's so long, but I couldn't really split it into two chapters rather than one... Anyway, I'd like to thank XPloylist and The Voice of Twilight for adding me as a favourite author.**

**Enjoy reading this exceptionally long chapter!**

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Ocarina of Time  
The Princess' Hero

Unhappy Fairytales

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My favourite story that my father would tell me was the story of the first Zelda and the Chosen Hero. It was the start where it all began, where it explains why every Zelda in history was so... so...

I don't have the word for it. Amazing, but more than that. The story in question seems to beg for the word 'divine', but it seems so _cliché._

It was about a year after my mother had died that my father told me this story. We had spent the entire afternoon together. It started with him hurrying into the Library, where I was sat, looking at the pictures in the history book again, and sweeping me into his arms. We had spent barely any time together after my mother had passed, as he was too busy with funeral arrangements and general royal business. It was the first whole afternoon we had spent together since the days we had spent together just after my mothers death, mourning.

"My darling Zelda," He called as he threw open the doors. "Put down your books. You have no studies this afternoon, because I have decided we should spend the rest of the day together." I eagerly shut my book and slipped down out of my chair a moment before he pulled me into a hug.

"Are you going to tell me some stories, father?" I asked, my voice muffled by the extravagant cloak he was wearing that my face was pressed against. I felt his chuckle more than I heard it.

"You are always eager to hear tales of your history, aren't you?" He said. He didn't wait for an answer before he pulled away, holding me at arms length, and continued. "Yes, we can." He took my hand and we began walking to the Castle courtyard, where we always spent our afternoons together. "Are there any stories you would particularly like to hear?"

"Yes," I replied, taking a moments pause to look up at the sky and consider my words. "I'd like to hear about how it all started. Not the Legend of the Sacred Realm," I looked up at him with a pleading look. "but the first Zelda. What was her life like?"

I heard his sharp intake of breath and felt him stiffen. There was a long silence before he spoke, and his voice had a certain strain to it, as if he were picking his words very carefully. "Zelda. You remember I've told you countless times that there have been many Zeldas before you, yes? Many of them, especially the ones whose stories were not recorded as important parts in history had very simple, innocent and almost fairytale-like lives. There are some, however, whose tales are more... upsetting. Truth be told, the Tale of Zelda and the Chosen Hero is not the most upsetting, but it is not as innocent as any of the tales I have told you before."

There was a pause. "I understand. But I'm curious."

He sighed. "I suppose... Your life has not been a fairytale, and I shouldn't hide what life can truly be like from you. But are you sure you are ready to hear this particular story?"

"It has a happy ending, doesn't it?" He nodded. "If it has a happy ending, then that's fine, it can't be that bad. I am _really_ curious." I looked up at him, pleading.

He sighed. "I suppose I can't keep it hidden from you forever. You'd probably just read about it anyway." We were now at the courtyard, where he sat down and I sat next to him, staring up at him expectantly.

He looked up at the sky, as if trying to recal every detail from memory. "Long ago, before Hyrule was even created, the people worshipped the Goddess Hylia. Now, many people worship the three Goddesses, Din, Nyaru and Farore, but the tales of Hylia are still told, and some still believe she exists. But you see, if this story is true, then she does not exist any longer.

"The story begins with a tale, a legend, passed down by the people. An evil man by the name of Demise raised an army to overthrow Hylia. He was powerful, and his army was practically unbeatable. The war ravaged the land, the tale says, turning it to barren wasteland. Determined to save what and who she could, Hylia made a plan. To protect her people, she cut away a piece of the land and sent it into the sky. She decided the only way to win the war was to overcome Demise, but he was so powerful that he was practically divine himself. Hylia could only entrap him, and that she did. With Demise sealed away, his army weakened and scattered, and peace returned. But Hylia had used almost all of her power sealing Demise away. She knew that many, many years into the future, Demise would break free, and she would not have the power to seal him away again.

"Her plan, though, would only work if she gave up her immortal life. The only way she could keep Demise sealed away was to be reborn as a mortal who had enough power to seal him away in a weakened state, as with her diminished power, she would not survive long enough to re-entrap him as a Goddess. But she knew that this mortal's efforts would be hindered, and so she decided that there would also be her Hero, a Hero of her choosing, a young man with unbreakable spirit."

"Link," I murmured, then looked up at my father for confirmation. He nodded. "Wow. Hylia was really smart." I paused for a moment's thought. "Would you ever give up immortal life, Father?"

Father paused for a moment. "Now that's a tricky question. I guess, if I was immortal, I wouldn't have to deal with old age. Aging is not something I would willingly choose to do, so, if I was given the choice, I don't think I would give up immortality."

I looked up at the sky. "Wow. Hylia did, though, to save her people. She wouldn't have even been alive to see Demise break free if she didn't become a mortal, right? So it really wouldn't have been her responsibility anymore." I looked back at my father. "It's no wonder we named Lake Hylia after her."

He chuckled. "Anyway, that was her plan. Now, many, many years after the war, there was a boy born on the land that floated in the sky by the name of Link. He is told to have been a bit of a dreamer. He was friends with a girl called Zelda, and both of them used to wonder what the land below the clouds was like. Their Legends and stories told of a barren, war-ravaged wasteland. Both of them wanted to believe other-wise, but didn't think they'd ever see what it was really like. But they did. One unfortunate day, they were out flying together on their birds, which they used much like we would horses."

I stared at him, my eyes widening in shock. "But that's impossible!"

He smiled. "Apparently not. It is said that these were giant birds, probably the size of horse."

My gaze strayed to the little birds that hopped around the gardens in front of us. "That's... Amazing."

"They were just flying about the sky together, minding their own business, when a huge, dark tornado burst into existence before them. Both of them grabbed their birds, trying to stop themselves flying into it, but Zelda's didn't slow quickly enough, and she was thrown from her bird, tossed into the wind and dragged down through the clouds." Father paused and lowered his gaze to the ground.

I was staring at him in horror. "That's horrible!" I blurted. "The Hero went after her, right? He saved her, didn't he?" I asked urgently.

"He was knocked unconscious and taken back to the land in the sky by his bird."

I stared at him, my mouth agape.

"It is not all bad, though, because that night, he was woken by a strange voice - the same voice that had been plauging his dreams recently. Dreams in which he saw Zelda in trouble."

"So the Hero was the one with prophetic dreams?" I asked, slightly confused. I had heard of the Princess being gifted, but not the Hero.

"That's the way the story is told. Now, this voice - he had been resting in bed, and it was late at night, but he decided to find the owner of the voice, and just outside his door, was the owner of the voice."

"Zelda?" I asked tentatively, unsure myself.

"No. This girl was a spirit, so to speak. She wore purple, and apparently had no arms."

"Why didn't she have arms?" I was slightly disturbed. "Were they... cut off?"

"No, no," He replied quickly. "She was never given them. You see, she led the Hero out to the Statue of the Goddess, and then _inside_ the statue. This girl was the only one who could open the door to the chamber inside, and she did. Inside, was the Goddess Sword, the sword created by the Goddess Hylia to aid the Chosen Hero. The girl, Fi, then explained that she was the spirit of the sword, created to give him all the information he would need. When the Hero took the sword, Fi gave him the only item she had in her possession - a tablet, that once put into the altar inside the Statue of the Goddess, would light his path down to the ground."

"So he could save Zelda!" I interjected.

Father chuckled. "Yes. When the morning came, he got on his bird and flew to the light, then jumped through the gap in the clouds at the bottom of it. He landed in a place called Faron Woods, full of a beautiful array of flora and fauna, not the wasteland of the legend at all. Fi told him she could sense Zelda in the nearby temple, so that was where they went. The Hero fought his way through the temple, but his efforts to find Zelda were hindered by the Demon Lord who claimed to preside over the surface world. He said that he had created the tornado, and that he had Zelda in his grasp, but she was taken away by someone he called the Servant of the Goddess.

"The Hero and the Demon Lord engaged in battle. It was about evenly matched. It only stopped because the Demon Lord knew that Zelda was already gone, and so, he also left. The Hero continued on to the spring there, behind the temple, where Fi had told him that Zelda was. But he was too late. Zelda was already gone. There was a message left behind by the Goddess there, saying that Zelda had to purify herself in two springs, the second being in the land of the Eldin Volcano. The Hero was given another piece of the tablet, and so he returned to the land in the sky.

"The Hero then did the same. The tablet created a second light, and this one led him down to Eldin Volcano. He made his way to the temple, and again, fought his way through to the end. He was once again interrupted by the Demon Lord. This time, he created a monster - a huge, walking, flaming boulder, and the Demon Lord left. The Hero eventually managed to destroy the monster, and quickly made his way to the spring. Upon arriving, he heard Zelda's singing and knew he had caught up with her. She finished singing and was about to leave when she noticed him there, but the Servant of the Goddess told her to restrain herself and not go to him. Zelda apologised to the Hero, and walked into the portal, leaving him behind. He tried to run after her, but the Servant of the Goddess stopped him, telling him he was too late to protect her, and that she feared the Goddess had been mistaken in her choice."

"That's horrible! She's so mean!" I cried.

"She was just doing her job. You see, as Servant of the Goddess, she was the sworn protector of Zelda. There are many rumours surrounding this woman, but it seems to be told that her name was Impa." He said.

"She was a Sheikah?" I asked, surprised.

My father looked at me with a thoughtful expression. "Since there were no members of a Royal Family back then, many believe there couldn't have been a Sheikah race, as such, at least, not as we know it today. But quite a few people seem to believe that this Impa was the very first of our modern Sheikah race. It seems likely, and explains why 'Impa' is the common Sheikah name, like 'Zelda' is the Royal Family's."

"Wow. It's like this story was the beginning of all history." I commented.

"And I'm not finished yet. Impa then followed Zelda through the portal which then disappeared before the Hero could get to it, leaving him alone in the spring. Fi gave him another message from the Goddess, and another piece of the tablet. He returned to the sky and placed the tablet in the altar. The light led him down to Lanayru Desert. The message from the Goddess told him that Zelda was going to the Temple of Time." Father glances at me and chuckled. "No, not the Temple of Time as we know it. This one held the Gate of Time, which, once activated, was a portal that could take you back several thousand years."

"They're not going to be separated over time, are they?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

He simply nodded. "The Hero made it to the Temple of Time, but the was in was blocked by an impassable pile of rubble. There was another way in, however, through a dungeon. He wasted no time getting through the dungeon, and soon was inside the Temple of Time. And there he saw Zelda. He was just about to go to her when the rubble that blocked the entrance was blown away, and there, between them, stood the Demon Lord. He cast a wall of flames in front of the Hero, denying him from going to Zelda's aid. The Demon Lord ran forward, aiming to take Zelda, but Impa blocked the way. She would not be able to hold out for long, so she told Zelda to hurry through the Gate. Before leaving, Zelda threw her harp to the Hero - The Goddess Harp that would allow him to follow her back in time.

"That was when Impa's defence broke and she was thrown down by the Demon Lord's attack. The Demon Lord would have taken Zelda, if the wall of flames had not faltered then, allowing the Hero to pass and attack the Demon Lord. The Hero stood in front of the fallen Impa, sword and shield at the ready, and told Impa to protect Zelda. Impa and Zelda fled to the Gate. Impa told the Hero to return to the Old Woman that he had met in Faron Woods and tell her what had happened before they disappeared through the Gate and destroyed it.

"The Hero returned to Faron Woods and told the Old Woman what had happened. She told him about the Goddess Harp and taught him to play the Ballad of the Goddess. Upon doing this, a dormant Gate of Time rose from the floor. But at that moment, the ground began to tremble, as a great darkness was breaking free outside the Sealed Temple - where the Hero was, and had just summoned the Gate. He made his way outside and to the bottom of the pit there. As he reached the bottom, a huge beast broke free from the ground - the embodiment of darkness itself."

"Was it Demise?" It didn't sound like Demise, but I couldn't think of any other option.

"Not quite. That was the pit where Demise had been sealed, but he could not break free in his normal form. This creature was the physical form of the evil that was able to escape from the pit. It came to be known as the Imprisoned." He smiled at me. "Be glad it's not around today. It was the very danger the Hero saw in his dreams."

I shuddered. "He defeated it, though, right?"

"Yes. He sealed it back into the pit with the power of the Goddess that was in his sword and returned to the Sealed Temple. The Old Woman told him that although he had sealed it away again, its power was colossal, and it wouldn't be long before it broke free again. He had no choice but to finish his quest quickly. She told him the power of the Goddess could awaken the Gate of Time, but as he stepped forward to strike it, she informed him that he was not yet powerful enough. She told him that the three Goddesses had a flame hidden in their respective province which he had to purify his sword in. But it was not that simple. To reach these flames, he would have to prove his unbreakable spirit and his worth of being the Goddess' Chosen Hero. This was done through a series of trials. To reach them, he would have to learn new songs, and how to learn them was hidden in the lyrics of the Ballad of the Goddess.

"The Ballad of the Goddess was the song Zelda was singing. So the Hero returned to the land in the sky and spoke to Zelda's father. He told him the lyrics he was looking for, which were in fact, instructions. What they were exactly has been lost over the years, but they allowed him to go to a sacred place called the Isle of Songs. There, he learned a song called Farore's Courage, which would open the way to the first trial. He took the song down to the surface, and played it, and apparently the gate opened like the petals of a huge, intricate flower unfolding one by one. With the Trial Gate now open, all he needed to do was thrust the Goddess Sword into the centre, and he would be transported to Farore's Silent Realm.

"Since the Trials were to test his unbreakable spirit, and his alone, he was in the Silent Realm without Fi. He had no weapons or any means to defend himself. Now, the Silent Realms are said to have been impossibly difficult. The Hero had to collect fifteen tears of Farore. Not only were they scattered across a vast landscape, but the area was patrolled by Guardians. The Guardians were fearsome. Strong and fast, some could run, some could fly, but if one, only one hit was landed on the Hero, his unbreakable soul would shatter, the quest would be unfinished, and the land would become property of Demise."

"...He made it, right?" I asked in a small voice. My heart was beating so fast I felt a little faint.

"He did. He courageously tackled the Guardians as if he had no fear at all. He had many near misses, but he didn't panic, and all of the tears were his. When he returned to the Gate, he possessed the Water Dragon's Scale, allowing him to swim through water as effortlessly as a dragon soars the air. Using it, he could reach a dungeon he couldn't get to before. Inside this dungeon was Farore's Flame. But again, it was not that simple. The Demon Lord brought to life the giant statue that guards the flame, and it is said that the monstrosity stood more than ten times the hight of the Hero and had six hands, each of which held a blade the size of the Hero himself.

"Some people tell of the Hero sustaining great injuries in that battle, others tell of him defeating the goliath without so much as a scratch. Either way, he defeated the beast and managed to reach the flame. Purifying his blade in the fire made the sword stronger and lengthened the blade, making it quicker and easier to defeat monsters with it. And with his sword improved, he returned to the Isle of Songs to learn the next song. The song he learned was Nayru's Wisdom, which opened the Trial Gate in Lanayru Desert. This trial was much like the first, only he needed more than courage to complete it. He had to outsmart the Guardians, and that he did. This Trial was harder than the last, much harder, but he still collected the tears.

"Upon leaving the Trial, he was gifted with the Clawshots. He took them and used them to get himself to the next dungeon, which was a ship that was hidden from the naked eye to protect the flame. The only thing that stood between him and the flame this time around was a large sea monster with tentacles that smashed the boat to pieces. He was luckily that when the monster was destroyed that the flame had not been submerged. His sword now imbued with Nayru's Flame and Fi's abilities increased, he headed back to the Isle of Songs to learn Din's Power.

"Din's Silent Realm tested his power, his ability to run fast enough or jump far enough. This Trial was yet more difficult, and he missed soul shattering blows by distances so small they can't even be measured. But he collected the tears and got himself the ability to withstand extreme heat, and with it, he ventured into the crater of the Volcano. In the dungeon there, he met with the Demon Lord again. The Demon Lord had discovered ancient drawings that depicted a second Gate of Time, and guessing that the Hero knew where it was, he waited for him. When the Hero refused to tell him where it was, they engaged in battle, both of them more powerful and more skilled than the last time. It was close, but the Hero overcame the Demon Lord, who left before he was too badly injured. The Hero proceeded to Din's Flame, which, when combined with his sword, awakened the Master Sword, the sword with the power of the Goddess strong enough to awaken the dormant Gate of Time."

"And take him to Zelda!" This story wasn't as bad as father had made it out to be, after all. "See? A happy ending!"

"Happy, maybe, but not ending." He relied. My smile fell. _What would tear them apart now? _"The Heroreturned to the Sealed Temple and activated the Gate of Time, but, in doing so, woke the Imprisoned again. After making his way to the bottom of the pit, the creature emerged, stronger than before. But with everything the Hero had gone through, it was not long before the beast was quelled and he returned to the Temple once more. Now, he was finally able to see Zelda again, and he passed through the Gate of Time.

"He found himself in the Sealed Temple again, but not as old and decrepid looking, and he was greeted by Impa. She told him to go into the back room, which he had never gone into before, not even in his time. In the room, he met Zelda. She thanked him and apologised for everything he had been through and began to explain to him that she was the Goddess Hylia reborn as a mortal to seal the evil away once and for all. She explained that she couldn't do it alone, and needed his help. She needed the Triforce.

"She explained that through his quest he had gained the qualities he needed to wield the power of the Triforce, which Hylia had sent into the sky, away from Demise with the people she was trying to protect. She gave the Hero's sword the Goddess' blessing, allowing it to become the True Master Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane. She told him that her purpose was to hold the seal for as long as she was able, and the Hero's sealing away of the Imprisoned several times in the current time proved that her power over it was dwindling. With that, she sealed herself into a crystal to begin a sleep for thousands of years to keep Demise sealed away."

I stared at my father with tears in my eyes. "That's so sad... To find her again just to find out you can't see her for thousands of years..."

He gave me a small, reassuring smile. "The Hero returned to his time and made his way back to the sky to find out more about the Triforce. He managed to find out more from the Guardian of the Sky, who told him he would need to gather four parts of a melody called the Song of the Hero. He had one, and the other three pieces were entrusted to the three Dragons who were Guardians of thee Provinces. Again, his efforts were hindered by various problems, but before too long, he had three pieces of the Song of the Hero and returned to the Sky Guardian for the fourth. With the entire song in hand, he returned to the land in the sky and used the song to open the Gate to the Goddesses' Silent Realm.

"The Goddesses' Silent Realm pushed him to the very limits of his Courage, Wisdom and Power and tested just how unbreakable his spirit was. When he collected the fifteen Goddess Tears, he was rewarded with a gem that would allow him to get to the Triforce. When he placed it into the statue, where it belonged, it allowed him access to the Sky Keep, the home of the Triforce. This dungeon was home to all three pieces of the Triforce, which he found. Upon gathering all three pieces, he stood atop the Statue of the Goddess and used the Triforce's power so he could be with Zelda again. The Statue broke away from its place in the clouds and fell down to the surface, falling into the pit where Demise was sealed. It fit perfectly, and Demise would not have been able to escape, even if the Hero's use of the Triforce had not destroyed him.

"With Demise finally destroyed, there was no reason for Zelda to remain sleeping in her vigil to hold the seal binding him. The Hero hurried to the Temple, to the back room, where he met her again, unharmed, awake, alive, and safe."

I let out a long breath. "That is one... Stressful story." I said.

Father grimaced. "You're forgetting someone."

"What? Who?" I peered at him.

"The Demon Lord."

"It's not a happy ending?" I asked again.

"I've already told you, it is a happy ending. But this isn't the end."

I shifted my position to make myself more comfortable, hoping it wouldn't be interpreted as boredom. "So, what happens next?"

"The Hero and Zelda were just about ready to say it was all over when the Demon Lord burst in. He shocked the Hero, leaving him paralysed on the ground for a moment while he grabbed Zelda and dragged her through the Gate of Time. You see, Demise was destroyed in their time, but several thousand years before, he was still only sealed away. The Demon Lord could bring Demise, his Master, back, if he sacrificed Zelda. He took Zelda back in time, to the bottom of the pit, sealed himself and Zelda away with walls around the pit that the Hero could not jump through or over. The Hero, when he recovered enough strength to move, stumbled through the Gate to save Zelda.

"Not wanting to be interrupted, the Demon Lord sent hundreds of his minions up the sides of the pit to keep the Hero busy. The Hero, determined to save Zelda, powered through the crowds of monsters like an entire army of warriors, although he was only one. When the Hero reached the bottom of the pit, the Demon Lord was furious, but insisted that the seal was weak enough as it was, and cast Zelda's body high into the sky, willing it to be crushed by the huge fall."

I gasped. "That's absolutely despicable! How could he do such a thing?" I was mainly furious because there was a chance that something like this could happen to me, and the thought frightened me.

"Don't worry, the Hero caught her and set her somewhere safe while he fought the Demon Lord. The Demon Lord, although more powerful than ever, was still beaten by the Hero. But it was too late. The seal broke, and Demise broke free. Demise was ruthless. He destroyed the Demon Lord, casting him aside despite all he had done. Demise was more than twice the size of the Hero with eyes like bottomless pits of hatred and hair made of flames. He was confident in his power, and gave the Hero the chance to prepare for their battle while he chose somewhere suitable.

"When the Hero went to fight him, they were in an alternate dimension, of sorts. There was nothing there but the two of them, the sky, and the water under their feet. Demise's power was fearsome, and could have crushed the Hero in only a few blows, but the Hero was not as bulky as him, and was much faster and far more agile. The Goddesses' Trial had pushed him to the limits of his Courage, Wisdom and Power, but this pushed him to the very limits of everything he had in him. But despite Demise even taking away a small piece of the advantage he had over the Hero, the Hero managed to turn his own power against him, and probably only within an inch of his life. But the Hero, the battered, drained and tired Hero emerged victorious, despite all the odds being against him."

"He... He won?" I breathed, amazed.

Father nodded.

"What a Hero..."

He brought the story to its conclusion. "When he returned, Demise defeated, he and Zelda stood together on top of the Statue of the Goddess, now on the surface. It was the first time they had been able to appreciate the land, and realise that all they had hoped was below the clouds really was there. And then, Zelda said she would stay on the surface, as it felt like home to her. When she asked if the Hero wanted to stay there too, he agreed."

"And they lived happily ever after?" I asked him, hopefully.

He shrugged. "I don't actually know. They don't tell of what happened after that. I would assume so."

We sat in silence for a long time, staring at the sky, the flowers, the birds.

"Hey, Father?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think he loved her?"

It began to rain quite heavily. In a look of silent mutual agreement, I took his hand and we walked back inside together.

"The story never says..." He murmured.

"You, personally. What do you think?" I pressed.

"What do I think?" He sounded thoughtful. We got inside and straightened out our rain dampened clothes.

I didn't press him further, I simply waited in silence. He gave me his answer when we stopped outside the Library, before he said goodnight and left me for the evening.

"I think he did."

* * *

**Okay, I just want to make a note here, that the recount of the story is not entirely true on purpose. As stories are passed down, parts are missed out, bits are changed and things are exaggerated. Don't start thinking I don't know the story well, please! Every incorrect detail was made on conscious decision!**

**Thank you for reading!**


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